Category Archives: engineer lismore

Civil Consult were engaged to undertake a number of engineering services at a new development on the north coast, including a geotech investigation for the purpose of a DA submission.

The development consisted of a caretaker cottage and cabins, and was situated in beautiful area of the North Coast. Included in the brief was the requirement for bulk earthworks design and the design of a fill platform the new caretaker cottage to be founded on..

Geotech Investigation

Civil Consult provided:

a geoetchnical site classification (soil test),

civil engineering bulk earthworks design

3D terrain modelling to determine the most efficient use of the cut to fill platform across the site

drawings and section of the development for DA approval

3D modelling was used effectively with a final pad being designed around the requirement to have neither an excess of cut or fill.

In a boost for Ballina CBD a multi-million dollar riverside development is being undertaken by Reside Living has been given the go-ahead by Ballina Shire Council.

Riverside Development Ballina – The $31 million project includes 34 apartments, six levels and a ground-level retail and dining precinct.

Reside Living Ballina

The project will comprise 36 apartments above 794sqm of ground floor commercial space, built on one of the last waterfront development sites in Ballina’s CBD. Developer Reside Living Pty Ltd plans to start construction of the blue chip project in the middle of this year – the first in a number of projects planned under the Reside Living brand, which offers low maintenance living to baby boomers looking to downsize without compromise.

The development will feature 17 three-bedroom apartments, 12 two-bedroom dwellings and five one-bedroom units.
Check back for an update here.

A new Skennars Head development application has been lodged with council this week. The development is called The Outlook and will be located on the old Stewart Farm land between Angels beach estate and Skennars head.

In documents lodged with the council, the proposed lots would generally range in size from 600sq m to 900sqm, with some lots above 1200sqm. Initial cost estimates put the development at $14 million.

The developers are asking for deferred commencement approval, which would delay works until a western connection road was built by developers (Lend Lease and Royal Bank of Scotland) of the neighbouring Pacific Pines Estate.

Timing for the new western road which is part of Stage 1C of Pacific Pines estate, is still unclear and not likely to be any time this year – Stay tuned for more information as it comes to hand!

For full details of the application head to Ballina Shire Councils online DA trackers, its really useful website for keeping up to date with changes in the shire.

The NSW Planning Department approved the rezoning of 255 hectares of land which will allow for the creation of a new suburb in North Lismore.

For a development 15 years in the making this will be a milestone for the future use of Lismore. The new development will put the focus back on into our business centre, especially the CBD as the development is so close. It will reinvigorate North Lismore, with the rezoning ultimately allowing for 1300 residential lots, with 1500 new dwellings housing around 3600 people.

Council has already adopted a Development Control Plan and Section 94 Contributions Plan which means developers can lodge their DAs immediately. The Winten Group will lodge a DA for the 450 fist house immediately.

The West Byron Project is represents a significant land release for the Byron Bay area. With significant public opposition to the project, the West Byron Project team will have their hands full delivering the rezoning application. Stage 1 of the project includes submission of the proposal to the Department of Planning and Infrastructure seeking to rezone the site to allow urban development. The proposal was amended by the Department to take into consideration the feedback received from the community and other government agencies.

West Byron Development Site Plan

The project has been on display to the public in Byron and currently 1800 people have signed a petition against the project on change.org. Provided the developer understand that the development of this land must consider the existing and future needs and aspirations of the community and other stakeholders, and delivers on this approach, then the project should be successful to the Byron community.

Should the project go ahead in whatever eventual form, there will be no doubt positive economic impacts for the community in terms of jobs and development. Without a doubt the development must include some type of Byron bypass road to the West. Byron is crying out for this piece of infrastructure and must be built to accommodate such a large development.

The road would most likely be constructed using some form of rock bridging layer at the foundation, with earthfill placed above this bridging layer. The geological setting consist of alluvial flood plains with potential acid sulphate soils. No doubt a challenging site to develop. Check back for updates as the project progresses.

Hopefully the development form of develop for this area will included a West Byron bypass.

The North Lismore Plateau Development is on the card for this year. Recently Lismore Mayor Lismore Mayor Jenny Dowell was quoted in the NOrthern Star (1/1/2014) as saying;

“In 2014 I’m looking forward to the first homes being built on North Lismore Plateau and some exciting new businesses coming to the city. While hard decisions still need to be made, the foundations, through our Growth Management Strategy and other policies, have been laid for a bright 2014. Watch this space.”

As described in the North Lismore Plateau DCP: “North Lismore Plateau represents a significant opportunity for the development of a substantially sized residential community located in easy walking and cycling distance of the Lismore CBD and within a unique landscape setting rich in natural and cultural heritage values and with outstanding scenic qualities. The vision is to facilitate sustainable development that responds to and conserves the unique environmental attributes of the site and is well integrated with the existing urban fabric of Lismore.”

The 255ha site is located approximately 1.5km north west of the Lismore CBD, and has the potential to create up to 1500 dwelling sites.

Geotechncially the site is located predominantly on Lismore Basalt, with some of the lower areas laying on the alluvial channels at the base of the elevated area. Generally the site would be a great area for development with good residual soils and rock foundations providing stable foundation for construction. Geological map of the area is included below.

Roads and Maritime Services is upgrading the Pacific Highway between Pimlico Road and Teven Road, about 2.3km in length. This work will facilitate the next phase of the highway upgrade, which is part of the overall Woolgoolga to Ballina Pacific Highway Upgrade Project

Tenders were submitted for the work in the first half of 2013, with the contract being awarded to Leighton Contractors in September 2013. The contract is a construct only with a total value of $92 million. The following map shows the extent of the works to be undertaken. Click here for full size image.

Leighton were in a very good position to provide the best price for this section of the upgrade, as they completed the much larger and complicated Ballina Bypass successfully in April of 2013. As with the Ballina Bypass, Teven to Pimlico is a soft soils project, with the majority f the earthworks being constructed on soft alluvial deposits of the Richmond River. The Ballina region is characterised by complex geotechnical conditions and the project is built over some of the softest and deepest soils in Australia, including soils up to 40m deep in the flood plain areas.

This project will include new bridges over Duck and Emigrant Creek, with preloading already underway on the alluvial soils in the foundation. The piling operations for these two bridge location will include 2m diameter cast insitu concrete piles up to 40m deep. These are significant piles!

Check back into Recent News for more information as this project gets underway.

With summer here there have been many days spent on the beach in front of the new Surf Lifesaving Club at Lighthouse beach. It is truly a great development and a real win for the community of Ballina.

The development was built by Bennett, and officially opened in July year. It will have a licensed cafe/restaurant, a meeting / function room and training rooms. What a great place for a wedding reception!

The building sits on the edge of the residual soil profile adjacent to the existing road with the coastal sand deposits bordering the foundations. Piled footings were used for the foundation design, with cast insitu concrete structures forming the bulk of the structural components of the building.

Lighthouse Beach has arguably the best views in the Ballina Shire, the cafe will be on the first floor, and it is believed that the lease has been acquired by the same company that runs the Pass Café in Byron.

The kiosk makes a great coffee so grab one and stake your claim on the sand this summer!

The Pacific Pines Lennox Head development is progressing through 2014, with a team from Lend Lease and the Royal Bank of Scotland addressing the Ballina Shire Council meeting held on the 18/11/2013.

From the Councils meeting minutes the following information was present by the developer;

“It is proposed that civil works associated with Stage 1A of the current approval will commence early in 2014, bringing additional residential allotments to the market. Also during 2014, road works involving an extension of Hutley Drive will commence to provide access to the approved playing fields. It is estimated that the playing fields, with relevant improvements, will become available for use during 2015.”

The $60 million residential and commercial development is proposed to house more than 1700 people, and provide 481 homes, 481 homes, 312 retirement units and medium-density housing. Also included in the plan is a shopping centre with up to 3000sqm of retail shops and 800sqm of commercial space, a tavern, community centre & sporting fields.

Pacific Pines Development Plan

Geotechnically speaking the provides a number of challenges including a low risk of potentially acid sulphate soils between 0.75 m and 3.0 m below natural surface levels in the location of the water control ponds. A separate report by Gilbert and Sutherland identifies three soil types found at the site that exhibited PASS characteristics. These include coarse sands, silty sands and silty clays in an increasing severity of PASS.

Hopefully further information will be made public by the Developer and the Council as the year progresses!